A look at NFL coaching and GM searches

Life is good for Chip Kelly and Mike McCoy, who have multiple head-coaching interviews scheduled.

It is just as good for Tom Gamble and David Caldwell, player personnel directors who are being courted by the Jaguars and other teams searching for a general manager.

And don’t forget about Bill O’Brien, Dirk Koetter and Josh McDaniels, who dropped out before or soon after being pursued to remain at their current jobs, no doubt armed with contract extensions and raises.

“Black Monday,” when seven coaches and five general managers — including the Jaguars’ Gene Smith — were fired has produced a whirlwind week, continuing Friday with the ouster of Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli and Kansas City’s agreement to hire coach Andy Reid.

Comment: Khan was first out of the starting gate Monday to interview candidates and continues to be the favorite to make the first general manager hire. And he needs to be moving fast — the new GM is likely to decide Mike Mularkey’s fate.

Carolina

So far: The Panthers aren’t moving fast. Owner Jerry Richardson hasn’t interviewed any candidates but is expected to talk with New York Giants executives Ross and Dave Gettleman. Also on the list are current Panthers interim general manager Brandon Beane and Tennessee’s Lake Dawson.

Comment: Richardson is expected to meet with coach Ron Rivera on Saturday. Only after making that decision will things move forward in Charlotte.

Kansas City

So far: The latest job opening, created when Pioli and Chiefs owner Clark Hunt agreed to “part ways” on Friday. Pioli was 23-41 in charge of the Chiefs, fired two coaches, had a sketchy draft history and couldn’t establish quarterback stability.

Comment: Hunt changed the organization’s set up, saying the head coach would report directly to him. With Reid in place as the coach, look for Tom Heckert, the former Cleveland GM who worked with Reid in Philadelphia, to be the choice.

N.Y. Jets

So far: Owner Woody Johnson has put together a list of potential replacements for Mike Tannenbaum, and they will all be told Rex Ryan will be back as coach next year. The list includes assistant GM Scott Cohen, Green Bay executive John Dorsey and the trio of Caldwell, Gamble and Ross.

Comment: Just as the Jaguars were thought to be the landing spot for Gamble at the beginning of the week, momentum is picking up for him to wind up with the Jets.

HEAD COACH

Buffalo

So far: The Bills fired their entire coaching staff and restructured their front office before heading to Arizona to conduct interviews. Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton, former Chicago coach Lovie Smith and former Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt have been linked and the Bills have also waited for Oregon’s Kelly.

Comment: Buffalo doesn’t have a quarterback and has a 22nd-ranked defense. If a coach has multiple options, it’s hard to see why he would pick the Bills.

Comment: The most attractive of the head coaching openings, the Bears’ stated goal is to find somebody to spark an offense that was 28th this year despite having Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall.

Philadelphia

So far: To his credit, owner Jeffrey Lurie is conducting an open search, informing fans and media who the team has reached out to. The list is McCoy, Arians, Kelly, O’Brien and Seattle defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.

Comment: This is a premium franchise because of Lurie but how much does a coach want to join a team with quarterback uncertainty and then face Eli Manning, Tony Romo and Robert Griffin III a combined six times per year?

COACH/GM

Cleveland

So far: The Browns’ search is being run by owner Jimmy Haslam and president Joe Banner. They’ve focused on the head coaching position first, inquiring about or talking to Kelly, O’Brien, Horton, Whisenhunt and Syracuse coach Doug Marrone. Gamble is the only personnel executive to emerge on the GM radar.

Comment: The speculation is that Cleveland wants to hire Kelly, whose representative has told teams he doesn’t need personnel control.

San Diego

So far: The Chargers have hired Ron Wolf to help them settle on a general manager first, which is now the case even more that Reid canceled an interview for the coaching job. In-house candidate Jimmy Raye has joined Ross, Gamble, Caldwell, Arizona’s Steve Keim, Indianapolis’ Tom Telesco on the Chargers’ list.

Comment: This job should be attractive because quarterback Phillip Rivers had 26 touchdowns and an 88.6 passer rating this year.

Makes sense to me Emma.....I was hoping for Gamble but starting to look like that is not going to happen...I trust Mr Khan to make the correct choice....he didn't become a billionaire by making bad choices